BECHTELSVILLE, PA. September 17, 2017 . . . Jeff Strunk, the
defending winner of Grandview Speedway’s Freedom 76, now has the
distinction of being the leading winner of the event at seven having
been in a tie at six with Billy Pauch. Strunk took home the checkered in
the 47th Annual Freedom 76-lap T.P. Trailers NASCAR Modified feature in
honor of promoter Bruce Rogers who passed away earlier in the year. The
ten-time NASCAR Modified point champion picked up a hefty paycheck of
$30,000 in addition to $100 from AARN for being the half-way leader, the
Dan’s Deli ˝-way hoagie award plus lap money and a V.P. Racing Fuel
award providing he met the necessary requirements.

Strunk made up for a rather dismal season at the 1/3-mile
oval in which prior to the night only won one race and that was on June
3, 2017. Strunk and Craig VonDohren, the 2017 Modified point champion,
put on quite a battle throughout the race and Strunk commented that
VonDohren, who is tough as nails ran him clean while the pair battled
throughout the race. There were several times Strunk didn’t know which
lane to choose since VonDohren tried the outside and inside which made
Strunk change lanes.

Through the luck of the draw, Bob Trapper Jr. started on the
pole, but it was second-place starter Billy Pauch that charged into the
early lead trailed by Doug Manmiller, Strunk, Scott Albert and Brian
Krummel, who started third, sixth,, fifth and seventh respectively.

By lap eighth the top three approaching lapped traffic and had to use heads up driving.

Duane Howard, the winner four times, slowed his pace on the
11th lap for the first yellow and was through for the night. The restart
had Pauch and Strunk side-by-side, but when action resumed Pauch washed
up coming out of turn four. Strunk took advantage of the situation and
motored the Glenn Hyneman-owned/All Fab No. 126 into first.

Within no time Strunk opened up a commanding lead while Pauch, Manmiller, Brian Krummel and Albert chased him down.

Godown looped it in the first turn setting up a seven-car
accident in which Nate Christman, running for the first time all year,
took a slow roll for the 21st lap red. All drivers were thankfully
uninjured, but the same couldn’t be said for the cars of Brett Kressley
and Tim Buckwalter as they were out of contention. Christman later
returned during another caution, but he couldn’t continue because he was
three laps down. Strunk maintained first on the restart, but Pauch,
Manmiller, Von Dohren and Krummel gave him no margin to error.

Strunk was able to increase the distance as the race
progressed since Pauch and VonDohren battled for the runner-up spot
because VonDohren cleared Pauch on the 28th lap and took chase after
Strunk.

By the 32nd lap VonDohren gained a tremendous amount of ground on Strunk when the front runners encountered heavy lap traffic.

VonDohren had just moved ahead, but before the lap counted, a
mandatory pit stop on the 45th lap made the move void. The first five
on the restart consisted of Strunk, VonDohren, Manmiller and Kevin
Hirthler, who started 22nd and 21st place starter Jared Umbenhauer. It
wasn’t long before Kenny Gilmore joined the mix and got past Umbenhauer
for fifth.

Ryan Watt regrouped the pack with 16 laps to go when he
stopped in the fourth turn for a yellow. Strunk wasted no time punching
the accelerator on the restart because he knew VonDohren was just
waiting to pounce if he faltered.

Strunk never gave up until he was in Victory Lane for his
biggest win of the year followed by VonDohren, Hirthler, Gilmore and
Mike Gular, who came through from 27th. Rounding out the top ten were
Manmiller, Umbenhauer, Krummel, Frank Cozze and Brandon Grosso.

Cozze, Hirthler, Justin Grim, Brett Kressley and Krummel won
the five qualifying heats. Mike Lisowski and Danny Erb won the
consolation races to advance to the Schaeffer Motorsports Minuteman
20-lap race which was the last chance to get into the Freedom.